Automatic water trap



Feb.r10, 1925.A

1 5262269 lai E. DowNToN AUTOMATIC WATER TRAP Filedmay 25,1922ashgets-sneet WITNESSE M 7' A-rroRNEY Feb. l0. 1925.

4 Y f 1,526,269 B. E. DowNToN-W AUTOMATIC WATER TRD Filedmay 25, yw22 vsheets-sheet 2 s@ s R Sm i m5 I www' Ei WL l full/ww www1' im 1f Uli'ltff/ i EN l N lIH MI 5w l '4*- 1 ,ZZazmZm .r I INYENTQR) WITNESSESATTORNEY Patented Feb. 10, 1925.

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OF DEWEY, OKLAHOMAVASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO D. O.

RALS'ION, OF DEWEY, OKLAHOMA.

AUTOMATIC WATER TRAP.

Application filed May 25, 1922. Serial No. 563,585.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it kno-wn that I, BERTRAM E. DOWN- 'roN, a citizen of the UnitedVStates, residing at Dewey, in the county of lashing ton and State ofOklahoma, have invented a neu7 and useful Automatic Tater Trap, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to traps adapted to be posit-ioned in low placesin gas lines 10 leading from the casing head of oil wells.

later and gasoline condenses and` accumulates in the gas lines from thecasing head of oil wells, and is eventually drawn Or forced into thegasoline plant, thereby causing trouble in the operation of the plantandinterfering with production:

In drawing gas from a well by suction, a partial vacuum is developed inthe casing surrounding the oil tubing to about 26 inches. The suctioncreated necessarily draws oil through the sand to the bottom of thetubing and increases the oil production of the well, the gas coming upthrough the casing which encloses the oil tubing and passing out througha separate pipe to the gasoline plant. The gas lines in low placescollect considerable water, which, if not disposed of, causes the vacuumto drop at the wells, thereby decreasing production both of oil andgasoline. `Furthermore, when water is agitated, due to a vacuum, airisgiven off, which is very troublesome to gas engine operation, andlikewise decreases th production of gasoline.

If a positive pressure is used in the gas lines, water in said lines,unless eliminated, is forced along in thegas lines to the gasolineplant. y y f Manually `operated traps usually placed in such lines arevisited daily and drained by an employee, but frequently these linesaccun'ndate. water faster than the employee can release the same fromthe traps, and

consequently water `passes along the lines to the plant.

It is an object of my invention Yto install an automatically operatedtrap in the gas `line which will collect water from the line anddischarge as rapidly as the trap fills, and which will at all times keepthe lines free from wat-er and maintain a substantially constantnegative or positive pressure at the wells.

VTo this end, I have constructed a special forni of water inlet valvebetween the trap and the gas line which is caused to be automaticallyoperated by pressure or the absence ofpressure in the casing head gasline. and the level of the water in the trap chamber. IVhen the waterinlet valve is closed, pressure, either positive or negative, in the gasline will react against the atmospheric pressure in the trap chamberuntil the pressure in the trap chamber becomes substantially equal tothe pressure in the gas line, when the valve will automatically open andpermitwater to flow into said trap chamber. After a certain level ofwater is reached in the trap chamber, water is automatically dischargedand air is admitted, providing an atmospheric pressure in the trapchamber and thus destroying the equality of pressures upon oppositesides of the water inle valve, whereby the water inlet valve is closedto stop the flow of water from the gas lines to the trap chamber. Thesame forni of valve just described may be employed in the gas lineswhich will automatically close the gas lines in case a leakage `occursin said lines.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding.however, that the invention is not coniined to any strict conformity`with the showing in the drawing, but may be changed and modified solong as such changes and modifications mark no material departure fromthe salient features of the invention as expressed in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings zw V Fig. l is a longitudinal section of an automatictrap which operates by a vacuum maintained in the gasoline pipe.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a modified form of automatic trapwhich is operated by a positive pressure in the gas lines,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section showing a detail of the retarding meansfor the float. Y

In constructing the trap disclosedin both forms, I preferably, thoughnot necessarily, use a certain length of standard S-inch pipe to formthe trap chamber l, which is eX- ternally threaded at its ends andprovided with caps 2 and 3, respectively screwed on the ends of thepipe. i

Thel lower end of the cap Q is prov'ded with an internally threadedperforation,

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into whichv is screwed a pipev connect-ion e, having its outer end opento the atmosphereand its inner threaded end projecting within the trapchamberl. Upon this projecting inner end there is screwed a valve body-5, having a valve chamber 6 with a partit-ion 7 therein. vided with aport S controlled by a water outlet valve 9 adapted to be moved upwardlyto close said port.

At the upper end oit the cap 2 is providedy an internally threadedperforation, into which is screweda pipe Y10 formi-ng an air inlet tothe chan'ibery The inner threaded end ot the Dipe 10 projects vinwardlyinto said chamber, andis engaged by the interI` nally threaded portionof a tubular exten* sion of the valve body 11 having a valve chamber 12.A partitionA 13 is .located in the valve body andv is provided with aport 11 controlled by an air inlet valve 15 adapt ed to be movedupwardly to close said port.

bent arm 16 having a horizontall screwthreaded portion 17 is screwedintov the internally threaded inner end et' the val-'ve body', and hasan air passage 1Szconnecting the valve chamber 12 with the trapvchamber' 1.

The downwardly-dependmg portion ot the arm 16 is provided with a pivotpin 19, upon which is mounted intermediate of its ends, a ttoat arm 20;The outer end 21 of the arm 2O is enlarged and perforated and slidableon a valve rod 22, which is connected at its opposite ends respectivelytothe valves 9 and 15. Stops 23 and 24 aremounted on the valve rod 22uponV opposite sides of the enlargement-21 of they arm 20, and areadapted to be engaged by said enlargement at diiterent. times forshift-ng the rod and thereby operating the valves connected to said rod.

The inner end of the arm 20,is connected to a float 25,`which is adapted,to be 1aised or lowered by the level of the water flowing into thevtrap chamber 1 through a pipe 26 mounted in an opening in the cap 3wh'ch forms a closure 'tor the'other end of the trap. chamber 1.

Upon the outer screw-threaded end of the water inlet pipe 26 is mountedthe reduced end rL2 of al valve chamber 27.

The 'alve chamber 27 is provided` with a partition having a. port 29,which is adapted to be controlled by a valve disk 30, mounted on ay rod31 slidable in vertical bearings 32 anc 33, respectively. The bearingy32 has a. screw-threaded portion, ada-pted to engage an internallythreaded perforation termed centrally ot and at the top -otf the valvechamber 27, while the bearing 33 is mounted in a screw-threadedperforation at the bottom et the valve chamber 27 and diametricallyopposite the bearing The lfearing 33 is provided with a slot 34 adaptedto he engaged by a suitable tool for turn- In Fig. 1, the partition ispro-` ing the bearing 33, whereby said bearing may be adjustedVtowardsor away trom the end of the slidable valve stem 31.

The head 35 of the bearing 32 may be ot any polygonal shape whereby thesame may be engaged by av suitable tool for turning .said bearing,either for removal or for adjusting the tension of a coiled spring 36,through the upper end of which is inserted the lower end of the bearing32. The coiled spring 36 is adapted to maintain a downwardpressure onthedisk 30 to open the valve at certain times. The spring with screwadjustment permits the valve to operate at any desired drop in thevacuum in the well.

The valve disk 30 is provided with a perforation 37 to permit air Ifromthe trap chamber 1, to pass through the valve cham ber27 and through theconnections 38,' and 10,- which leadA to -the casinghead gas line 11.4The connection 3S is mounted in one of the reducedends ot the valvechamber 27.

Thelcasing head gas lfne Ll1 is under a vacuum of 26 inches normallywhen oil is beingJ pumpedJ from the well, and therefore this degree otnegative pressure is extended to the t 'ap chamber 1 at certain times inthe operation of the trap for collecting water.

rlhe valve 30, with its chamber, is of special construct-ion and has thecapacity ol a 3-ineh valve internally, with the reduced portions of thevalve chamber, whicharc connectedv to the tubes 26 and 3S, forming a2-inch connection. This permits the valve 30 to have a shorter workingstroke, thereby making it more sensitive and providing ttor iineradjustments while still maintaining the equivalent of a 2--inch system.

In order to prevent Iprolonged draining of the water from the trapchamber 1, and at the sameftimeto cause av sudden closing ot air andwater outlet valves 15 and 9, respecf tively, I employ a device toretard the movement oi the end1211 of the tloat arm 2O when the float 25is descending.

The retarding device comprises a roller lift located in the path of theend 21 of the 'tioat arm and adapted to engage said end when the floatis in its lower position and the end- 21 is about to engage the upperstop 23.

The roller 44 is rotatable on a pin L15 mounted in a. bearing 46slidable in a hollow stud forming a socket i17 which has one end screwedinto a threaded opening in the cap or cover 2 of the trap chamber 1. Theinner end of the bearing 4-6 abuts one end ot a coil springy 48 seatedwithin the hollow studJC7. The spring forces the bearii'ig 116 and thewheel tft outwardly of the socket so that said wheel will always be in aposition to engage the end 21 ot the float arm 20.

A. cotter pin 19 is inserted through alined pertorations in the hollowstud 47, whereby llo ysaid pin is maintained in position. The pin passesthrough a slot 50 of the bearing Y4G trap chamber 1. a0*

'the perforation i7 in in which `the wheel 44 revolves, said pin beinglocated between the periphery of the wheel and the inner end of saidslot whereby the pin will permit the bearing to slide within the socket47 of the hollow stud but prevent the bearing from being lost from saidstud.

As the float is lowered and the end 21 of the arm 20 is elevated, theend 21 Will engage the roller 44 and retard the descent of the float.Since the weight ot' the float is greater in proportion to the torce otthe spring 48 acting on the roller 44, the end 21 ot the float arm willbe eventually forced past theroller when the float. will drop causingthe end 21 of the iioatarn'i to strike stop 23 and thereby suddenlyclose valves 9 `and 15, which are operated through the move-` ments ofstops 23 and24rand rod` 22..

The operation of my device, illustrated by Fig. l, is as folloWs:-

As shown in Fig. 1, the valve SOis about to be closed due to thedifference of pressure upon opposite sides of said valve, since a vacuumexists in the gas `line 41, while substantially atmospheric. pressureexists in the This is created in the trap chamber when air is admit-tedto the said chamber through tube 10 andgpassagelS, and the air valve 15has been `opened by the position of the float 25,

As the valves 2 and 15 are connected to the same rod 22 and therebyoperated simultaneously `by the float- 25, valve 9 will `be opened withvalve 15 to permit water to be discharged from the trap chamber throughthe tube 4. y Y y,

. lVhen the valve 80 closes by the difierence in pressures upon oppositesides of said valve, a slight quantity of air is being drawn from thetrap chamber constantly through the water inlet valve 30. Y

The discharge o1 the water from the trap chamber lowers the tloat 25until a predetern'lined level will have been reached, when theenlargement 21 of the arm 2O engages with the stop 23, thereby elevatingthe rod 22 and closing the air valve 15, and the water discharge valve9. At this time, neither water from the gas line 41, nor air from thetube 10, is admitted to the trap chamber since these valves are closed,but air is being exhausted from the trap chamber 1 through theperforation 37 of the valve SO because of the vacuum in the gas line 41.

W'hen the air in the trap chamber has been su'liiciently exhausted tocause the negative pressure on both sides of the water inlet valve to besubstantially vequal or nearly so, the tension of the spring 3G willovercome the negative pressure from the gas line 4l, and open valve 30whereby rater 'from the gas line will be admitted through pipe 26 to thetrap chamber 1.

When sutiicient water has been admitted to the trap chamber 1 to elevatethe float 25 to the upper position shown in dotted lines, theenlargement 21 on the arm 20 will act upon the stop 24, lowering rod 22,and likewise opening valves 15 and 9. Water is dis charged from the trapchamber through tube 4, while air is admitted through the tube 10 tosaid trap chamber, and valve 3()V at this time'will close.

The admission of air to the trap chamber 1 will cause an unequalpressure on opposite sides of the valve 30, and due to the suction inthe gas` line 41, the Water inlet valve 30 will be closed, except forthe perforation 37 through which air will be drawn from the trap chamber1.

Thesel conditions of operation just described for the diilferentelements comprising the trap chamber will be continuous, and thedischarge of the Wat-er from the trap chamber and the admission of thewater from the gas line to the trap chamber will be automatic and willrequire no daily manual operation by ain employee. VThe spacing of thestops 28 and 24 on the valve rod 22 is such that a certain predeterminedtime is permittedto cla-pse loetween the opening and the closingot thevalves 9 and 15 for an eiicient working of the trap, so that at no timeduring the operation ot' the trap will the float act too rapidly andthereby prevent the valve 8O from remaining open tor a sutlicient periodof time, or the iiuttering of valves 9 and 15.

This valve may also be used in the vacuum line from each well, Whereshould a hole develop in the casing, the vacuum in the Well will be'necessarily reduced, thereby setting up a current through the valvewhich will cause it to close, thus isolating the detective well from thesystem.

In the modilication disclosed by Fig, 2, the trap chamber 1, wateroutlet pipe 4, tube 10 which connects the trap chamber with theatmosphere, valve bodies 5 and 11, and float 25 are similar to therespective ele-ments shown in Fig. 1. Since a positive pressure ismaintained at times, within the trap chamber of Fig. 2, by the gas underpressure from line 41a, the valve 15a with its seat 14a and the Wateroutlet valve 9d with its seat 8 are in reverse order relative to thecorresponding valve and seats of Fig.V 1. `Valves 9UL and 15a areconnected by the stem 22 which is provided with stops 23 and 24engageable with an oscillating arm 20a connected to the float 25.

The valves 9 and 15a, shown in Fig. 2, are placed above their respectiveseats Sa and 1.4a instead of below, as disclosed by Fig. 1, so that saidvalves must be moved downwardly instead ot upwardly to close their .lli

respective ports by the yarm therefore the end of said arm is pivoted at19a to the cover 2 instead of at apoint intermediate its' ends on thebracket 16 of Fig. l, and the stops 23 and-23` are engaged ata pointintermediate the ends instead by the end of the oscillating arm, aspreviously de scribed.A

Since thebraelret 16 Ihas been. eliminated` fromthe tra-p chamber ofFig. 2, gas und'er pressure` from the trap chamber escapes tical instructure- With the valve bodyfl' ot Figl; nevertheless the reducedends'42- and 43 are connected in reverse order to the pipe*connections`Q6 and 38, respectively, so that the reducedend 43 of the valve body isconnected to pipe 26 While theredueed end 42 is connected t0 pipe 38.,This change of' position of the valve body 2T reverses: t-he positionyof the diaphragmor portion 29a so that the `tlibeab opens into the lowerchamber of said valve body instead of open ing` into the upper chamberof the valve body,x as disclosed inl Fig. l.

In Fig.` l, the vacuum from the gas line 4l. acts upon the upper ace'o-fvalve 30 Whilev pressure -in the gas line 4la of Fig. 2 acts upon the.lower face of valve 30a, so that in the first form; When valve` 30 isclosed, thev vacuum in gas 1ine41:\villex. haustair from the trapchamber l through perforation; 37 .in said valve, :While pressure in gasline 41e will force gas through perforation 37 in valve 3.0?, toincrease ythe pressure in the trapnchamber. if

The operation et t'hemodiiied /i'orm oic thetrap disclosed in Fig. -2 isas ;tollo.vvs.:.---v

The float is shown: descending Wit-h the Water outlet' valve 9 andthezgas outlet valve if open, and the trap; chamber discharging bothwater and; gas undervpress sure. liVhen the float.` 25 has beensuliivciently lowered, thearmy 2Oa by: its engage-r ment with thestop 24willV close bothvvalves; Due to the difference in:pressure between thegas line 41"L and thel trap chamberal, valve a Will' close,y but sincegas unden pressure passes through perforation.- 371 in valve SO?, thepressure in trapv chamber will rise until it becomessubstantially,lequal to the pressure in gasline- 41a, Whenispring 21will open said valve and permit lWater from the gas line to tlovv vintothe trap chamber.

When .the incoming water in the trap chamber has sufficiently elevated.Ythe `float 25 to raise valves 9a and-155, IWater and gas will again bedischarged to lower float Q5 and reduce the pressure in the trapchamber, n-'hereby valve .30 Will close until the pressure of the gas inthe trap chamberadmitted-` through perforation 87a yis substantiallyequal to the pressure in line 41a.

It Will be seen. that no matter Whether a negative or positive pressureis maintained inthe gas lines 4l or 4l,y the operation and function ofvalves: 9, 15, 30 andV valves 9', lii'l a-ndBOa, Will be identical andproduce the same results.`

In Fig. l, the airinlet valve l5 is shown smaller than the" Water outletvvalve 9', and when a vacuum is had in thetra-pchamber l, valve l5 willtend to' open, While valve 9 Willten'd to close under suction-. Due tothe ditlierenceof the exposed-areas of the valves 9; a-ndA 15y to theaction of the vacuum in the trapi chamber, the valves will be closedvery readily by a small float against a hi gh vacuum in said chaml'ler,since the greater force actingto closeI valve?) will overcome the 'forceacting to open valve 15.V

In Fig.. 2, the gas valve l5 has Aa smaller surface area acted upon bythe ,positive pressure; in the trap chamber l than the Water outletvalve 9, and therefore due to the differential action betweenl thesetivo valves, a small float only Will be required toV close said valves.

The positive pressure acting en valve l5 to openv the same Will beovercome by the .Weight-olfv the float and the-greater pressure actingon valve 9a to close saidvalve. whereby valves 9au and l5@ will beclosed.-

That is claimed is l. In a device of the character described, thecombination Witha gasline.y `of a trap chamber at a lowerlevel than thegas line`v a branch passage:leading` downwardly 'troni the gaslin'e tothe-trap Vchamber.and adaptedto deliver Water to said chamber from thegas line, a fioat in said chamber, a valve controlled. Water dischargepassage lading from the -trap to a region et atmospheric pressure, `avalve controlled air inlet passagefleading fromtheatmosphere and opening into theupper part. of the chamber, both controlling valves beingconnectedi in operative' relation with theI float for simultaneousmovement, a Water inlet valve in said branch passageand automaticallyope `able by a d'ili-erence of. pressure between the trap chamber andthegas line, and means tending; to gradually equalize thepressure in thegas line'and thetrapchamber when the inlet valve is closed.

2. A. Water trap fon-gas linesconnected to an oilwelleasing head,con'xprising a trap chamber, a Waterzinletadapted to deliver Water torthe chamber from the gas lines, a float. in said chamber, :a Waterdischarge yvalve and a valveforcontrolling communillO Cil

cation between the chamber and the atmosphere, connected to thev `floatfor simultaneous movement, a water inlet. valveV con nected to the waterinlet and adapted to be closed by a difference of pressure between thegas lines and trap chamber, anda pertoration in the water inlet valvefor equalizing the pressures in the trap chamber `and gas Vlines whensaid val-ve is closed whereby said valve maybe opened.

`3. A water trap for gas lines connected to anoil well casing head,comprising a trap chan'iber, a water inlet adapted to deliver water tothe chamber from the gas lines, a float in said chamber, a waterdischarge valve and a valve for controlling communication between thechamber and the atmosphere, connected to thelioat for simultaneousmovement, a water inlet valve connected to the water inlet and adaptedto be operated by a difference in pressures between the gas lines andthe trap chamber, a perforation in the water inlet valve for equalizingthe pressures in the gas lines and the trap chamber when `said valve isclosed, and a spring for opening' said valve when said pressures havebeen equalize-d to allow the water to pass into th-e trap chamber.

al. A water trap for gas lines connected to an oil well casing head,comprising atrap chamber, a water inlet adapted to deliver water to saidchamber from the gas lines, a 'Float in said chamber, a water dischargeoutlet and a valve for same connected to the 'float for simultaneousmovement, a water inlet valve connected to the water inlet and adaptedto be operated bv a difference in pressures between the gas lines andthe trap chamber, and means connecting the gas lines with the trapchamber when the water inlet valve is closed tor equalizing thepressures in the trap chamber and gas lines.

A water trap for gas lines connected to an oil well casing head,comprising a trap chamber, a water inlet adapted to deliver water tosaid chamber from the gas lines, a ioat in said chamber, a waterdischarge outlet and a valve for same connected to the floatforsimultaneous movement, a water inlet valve connected to the water inletand operated by a difference in pressure between the gas lines and thetrap chamber, a spring For said inlet valve, and means connecting t-hegas lines with the trap chamber through the water inlet valve when thelatter is closed for modifying the pressure in the trap chamber, saidwater inlet valve being automatically opened by said spring, when thepressure is nearly equal upon both sides ot said valve.

6. A water trap for gas lines connected to `an oil well casing head,comprising a trap chamber, a water inlet adapted to deliver water tosaid chamber from the gas lines,

a float in said chamber, a water discharge 'valve and an air inlet valvefor said chamber connect-ed to the float for simultaneous movement, awater inlet valve connected to the water inlet and operated by thevacuum in the gas lines, means connecting the trap chamber with the gaslines through the water inlet `valve whereby the air in thel trapchamber is exhausted, and means for positively opening the water inletvalve when the vacuum in the trap chamber is nearly equal to the vacuumin the gas lines.

7. A water trap for gas lilies connected to an oil well casing head,comprising a trap chamber, a water inlet adapted to deliver water to thechamber :trom the gas line, a ioat in said chamber, a water dischargevalve and an air inlet val-ve both communicating with a region ofatmospheric pressure and connected in operative relation with the floatfor simultaneous movement, a water inlet valve associated with the waterinlet and operate-d by the difference in pres sure between the gas lineand the trap chamber, and a bleed port between the gas line and the trapchamber to gradually equalize the pressure when the inlet valve isclosed.

`8. A water t ap for gas lines connected to an oil well casing head,comprising a trap chamber, ay water inlet adapted to deliver water tothe chamber from the gas line, a float in said chamber, an air inletpassage leading `from the atmosphere to the, upper part of the chamber,a water discharge passage leading from the lower part ot the chamber toa region of atmospheric pressure, valves for the air inlet passage andwater discharge passage, both arranged in operative relation to thefloat to be actuated simultaneously thereby, a valve associated with thewater inlet and operated by a difference in pressure between the gasline and the trap chamber, a bleed port between `the gas line and thetrap chamber to gradually equalize the pressure when the inlet valve isclosed, and means tor varying the extent of movement of said water inletvalve.

9. A water trap for gas lines connected to an oil well casing head,comprising a trap chamber adapted to receive water from the gas line, avalve controlled water outlet located at a low level in the chamber andleading to a region of atmospheric pressure, a valve cont-rolled waterinlet adapted to admit water from the gas line to the chamber at ahigher level than the water outlet, a valve controlled outlet passage ata high level in the chamber and adapted to supply air at atmosphericpressure to said chamber, a oat in the chamber for positively andsimultaneously opening or closing the air inlet valve and the wateroutlet valve, and spring means for opening the water inlet valveindependently of the other valves when the pressure in the gas lineiene-arly CII fill

equal to thel pressure in'the trap chamber. 1.0. A 1nia-ter trap for.gas lines connected .toan oil well casingv head,comprisinga'trapchamber adapted to receive Water'from the gas lines, a valve controlledWateroutlet located at a loiv level in tlie'chamber, a valve controlled'Water inlet at a .higher llevel than the water out-let, a valvecontrolled and :restricted air :inlet at a high "l' rod for positivelyope ating said valves -to openl or closed `position.

11. A `Water trap for gas lines connected toan oil Well casing head,eomprisinga` trap chamber `adapted to 4receive water .from-the gaslines, a valve. controlled Waterfoutlet located at a flow level inthechamber, avalve controlled Water: inlet at a higher levelthan the Wateroutlet, a valve controlled and restricted air inlet at ahiigh level inthe chamber, a rod connecting the air inlet valve and the water outletvallve, a bracket, and a loat having an arm pivoted intermediate itsends on the bracket, the freefend of the arm engagingy stops yon saidrod for positively operating said valves to open or closed position, andan yair passagey .leading from ythe air inlet to the trap chamber.

12. A water trapfor gas 'lines connected to an oil Well vcasing head,comprising -a trap chamber adapted to receive Watenfromfthe gas lines, avalve controlled Water outlet located at a low level in ythe chamber, avalve controlled vater .inlet ata higher -level than the Water outlet,the valve oStSaid. water inlet being provided `with a pertoration, aspring for said valve, a valvev controlled air passage at a high levelin the chamber, and a float in the chamber for positively andsimultaneously 1 opening and closing the lair inlet valve and the wateroutlet valve, said float being operated by the :riseland tall of thewater in the chamber -discharged thereinto through the water inlet.

13. A Water trap for gas lines connected to van oil well casing head,comprising a ltrap chamber, a Waterinlet adapted to deliver water tosaid chamber from the gas lines, a. lloat 'in said chamber provided withan arm pivotally connected with aI fixed part of the trap chamber, avater discharge valve and an air valve 'lior the-chamber, connectedinoperative relation with the lioat arm for simultaneous movement, aWat-er inlet valve connected to the Water inlet and automaticallyoperable by a d-i'tl'erence of pressure between the trap chamber and thegas lines, and mcansengaging said arm to retard the downward movement ofthe lioat and thereby preventa too rapid draining of the Water :from vthe :float chamber.

14. A Water trap for gas lines connected to .an oil Well casingheachcomprising a trap chamber adapted to receive Water from the gas lines, avalve controlled connection between the gas-lines and the trap chamber,an air passage connecting the trap chamber with the atmosphere, a Waterout-let for said trap chamber, a valve controlling the air passage and avalve controlling the lWater outlet connected together for simultaneousmovement, a lioat in the chamber having an arm pivotally connected tothe trap chamber and operatively connected with the Water outlet and airvalves, and means engaging the arm for retarding the movement of saidarm, said means comprising a roller having a slidable bearing and aspring in engagement with the bearing for resisting movement of thebearing When said roller is engaged by the lloat arm.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaflixed my signature.

BERTRAM E. DOVVNTON.

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